Adjustable nozzle



July 30, 1963 c. H. SCHLECHT ETAI. 3,099,291

ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE Filed March 22, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l Uniti-:nr

July 30, 1963 c. H. SCHLECHT ETAL 3,099,291

ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed March 22. 1961 www! IN V EN TORS. 705g A 7'7'0/PA/E1`.

www O NM www 0 N www Q E www w NW F J QQM. l LI n wuw M\ J T NN, Nwq NN ite States 3,099,291 ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE Charles H. Schlecht, Cheltenham, and Francis W. Drobil, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to National Drying Machine Company Filed Mar. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 97,635 3 Claims. (Cl. 13S-45) This invention relates to -a machine of the type disclosed in Parkes patent, Re. 24,871, and it relates more particularly to the adjustable discharge nozzles forming part of said machine.

One object of the invention is to pnoduce improved means for adjusting said discharge nozzles.

In the machine disclosed in said patent, the discharge nozzles are formed by arranging in a number of generally U-shaped ducts in parallel, spaced relation with the spaces between the juxtaposed sides of adjacent ducts connected to a source of under pressure, whereby said spaces constitute the discharge nozzle through which the drying air is discharged Vagainst the material moving tnansversely of said ducts and the nozzles formed therebetween. The ducts referred to are arranged with their months facing the material and serve as exhaust flues through which the air issuing out of the nozzles can escape to the atmosphere, in an lopen system, or 'could be returned to the low pressure side of the plenum in a closed system.

The edges `of the side walls of the nozzle-forming ducts of the machine of the Parkes patent are interconnected by means -of -turnbuckles which can be manipulated to draw the sides of the duct together, or to push said sides apart, to widen, `or tov narrow, the corresponding portions of the space, tor nozzle, between the sides of adjacent ducts.

The duets of the present invention can be considered as identical, lin structure, and in operation, with those of the Parkes patient and are therefore not shown, nor described in detail. It is enough to point out that the only difference between the present invention and that disclosed in the Parkes patent is in the duct-nozzle adjusting means.

The nozzle-adjus-ting devices of the Parkes patent are operative, but experience and investigation have shown that, because of the Width and length of the nozzle one, or both of the marginal portions of the material may dry more quickly, or more slowly, than the center portion thereof, for vice-versa. It is therefore desirable to provide means for increasing, or decreasing, the width of the cen-trial or of the end portions of a nozzle independently of the other portions thereof, to increase, or to decrease the flow capacity of the various portions of the nozzle, as may be indicated by the progress of the drying operation.

Itis therefore a further object of the invention to produce improved adjusting means for adjusting the central and end portions iof each nozzle independently of each other. Because the nozzle forming ducts may be l or 12 feet wide and are yclosely spaced within the drying chamber, at least the central turnbuckles of the Parkes patent will not be accessible for manipulation without stopping the machine, waiting till .the parts cool off and pulling out the ducts. This is not only expensive, but the interruption of the operation may also cause irreparable damage.

It is therefore a still further .object of the invention to produce improved adjusting devices which are operative from either end of each duct for selectively and independently adjusting various portions of the nozzles.

In addition to variations in the progress of the drying, or curing operation, as between one portion of the material land another, which is compensated for by adjustment of various portions of the nozzles, it also happens that the overall operation may progress too quickly, or too 3,099,291 Patented July 30, 1963 slowly, and that decrease, or increase, of the over-all liow capacity `of the nozzle is necessary.

It is therefore a still further object of the invention to produce improved adjusting devices by means of which the nozzle opening may be enlarged, or reduced, over its entire length, without upsetting the previously effected adjustments of various portions of the nozzle, whereby the flow ratios between various portions of the nozzle are maintained, even though the flow capacity may have been varied.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 Iis a plan view of one of `the nozzle-forming ducts provided with -adjusting devices embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view looking in the direction of line 2 2 on FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a sectional View looking in the direction of line 3 3 on FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing some of the ways in which a number of adjacent nozzles may be adjusted.

As best shown in FIGS. l and 3, each of the nozzleforming ducts D41, D-2\, D-3, D-4, etc., includes opposite side walls 10 and 12 which ico-act with intermediate wall .14 to form 5a gener-ally U-shaped er1-closure having a month yI3 which faces 'the material 18 to be dried, or otherwise treated. The ends are open for the purpose set forth in the Parkes patent. The ducts may be made of any suitable material and at least the side walls there- Iof are slightly flexible so that lthey may be moved toward, or av/ay fram, e-ach other for the purpose hereinafter set forth. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ducts are arranged in spaced, panallel relation, whereby the side wall 12 `of zone duct D-1 co-acts with side wall 10 of adjacent duct D-2 to define an elongated nozzle N-l which is connected to a source fof air, or other liu-id, sudh as the plenum 16 which corresponds to plenum 10 in the Parkes patent. Obviously, by drawing walls 10 and 12 of each, `or of both, yof ducts D-1 and D-2 together, or by pushing said walls apart, the width of the corresponding portion of nozzle N-l formed between said walls will be decreased yor increased.

As illustrated, each duct is provided with one adjustment device A near one end thereof, a second device B near the opposite end thereof, and a -third adjustment device C near .the center portion of the duct. The spacing and the number of the adjusting devices can be Varied at will. Also for the purpose of this disclosure, it is assumed that the left end plate 20 which corresponds to end plate 28 of the Parkes patent is Aaccessible and that the right end which corresponds to end plate 30- of the Parkes patent is remote, or inaccessible.

Adjusting devices A, B :and C are carried by rod 22 which extends the length of a duct yand the left end of which, as viewed in FIG. 4, extends beyond the end of the duct for the punpose hereinafter set forth.

Since the adjusting devices are identical, the part-s .of adjusting device Aare designated fwith sub. a of thereference numerals, the parts of adjusting device B are designated with sub. b, and the parts of adjusting device C are designated with sub. c of the same reference numerals, but `only one adjusting device, such as device A, will be described in detail.

As can be seen from FIGS. l, 2 and 3, adjusting device A includes `a toggle formed of ar-ms 24a and 26a which are pivoted at 28u10 side walls 1()` and 12 of the duct and are -pivotcd at Sila to la bracket 32a which, when not restrained by nuts 36a and 38a, is freely slidable on rod 22. It is also pointed out that rod 22, when not restrained by nuts 40 and 42, is also movable relative .to its duct.

The operation is as follows:

To widen, or to narrow, .the left end of a duct, or the left ends of adjacent ducts, correspondingly to Iadjust the corresponding portion of the nozzle, nuts 36a and 38a are loosened; bracket 32a is moved to the lef-t to collapse toggle arms. 24a and 26a to narrow the duct, as shown at the left end of duct D-l, or bracket 32a is moved to the right to expand the toggle arms -to widen the duct, as shown at the left end of duct D-2 and -nuts 36 and 3S are tightened. To adjust the center portion of a duct, which in a long nozzle will be inaccessible, nuts 36C and 3St- Which are located near -the left hand end of the duct, are loosened, the bracket 32C is moved to the left, as shown at the center of duct D-Z, or to the right, as shown at the center of ducts D-l and D-3, and nuts 36C and 38e are retightened. To adjust the right end lof a duct, nuts 3617 and 3812 are loosened and bracket 32h is moved, in either direction, relative to rod 22 in the manner set forth in connection with bracket 32a. 1f the right hand end of the duct, as viewed in the drawings, is inaccessible, nuts 36e and 38C and nuts 36a and 38a, and nuts 40 and 42 are loosened, rod 22 is moved to the right to expand toggle 30h, 30a, as Ashown at the right ends 'of ducts D-1 and D-2, or the rod is moved to the left to collapse the toglgle, as sho-wn at the right end of duct D-3, and nuts 36a and 38a and nuts 36e and 38e and nuts 4t)V and 42 are tightcned.

If after a given duct, or pair of :adjacent ducts, have been adjusted, it is desired to increase, or to decrease, the over-all flow capacity tof a nozzle, without disturbing the flow ratios established by the previous adjustments of devices A, B or C of the duct, only nuts 40 and 42 are loosened, rod 22 is moved to the right, or to the lef-t, as may be indicated bythe progress of the operation, and nuts 40 and 42 are retightened.

In FIG. 4 some of the adjustments above described are shown. For example, 'only the left end yof duct D-l is narrowed, thus tapering the adjacent portion of nozzle N-1; only the center portion of duct D-2 is narrowed taperedly to widen the center portion of nozzles N-l and N-2, and only the right end of duct D-l,l is narrowed taperedly to widen Ithe right end portions of nozzles N2 and N-3 and so on. Conversely, the right ends of duets D-l and D-2 are uniformly widened. Duct D-4 is shown narrowed over its entire length by movement of rod 22 to the left and it will be noted that this over-all adjustment is made without affecting the ratios of the adjustments of the center :and end portions of the duct. It will be noted that if the cross-section of the ducts is reduced, the nozzle between the side Walls of adjacent ducts is widened, and vice versa. It will also be noted that, by this invention, the duct, along its entire length, lor along any desired portion thereof, can be adjusted as long as one of the ends of the duct is accessible. It will still further be noted that this invention affords easily operable means for elfecting a Wide range of adjustments to insure perfect treatment of the material 18 Iand that the adjustment can be made While the machine is running.

What We claim is:

l. Means for adjusting the widthof selected portions of an elongated nozzle having two, generally parallel, sides, said means including elongated, flexible, generally parallel side walls, one of said Walls constituting one of the sides of'the nozzle, an actuating rod extending between said side Walls,

.a first toggle connected to said side walls near one end thereof and secured to the adjacent portion of said rod,

a second toggle secured to said side walls near the other end thereof, and

fastening means for detachablyy securing said second toggle to the adjacent portion of said rod whereby loosening said fastening means and moving said rod longitudinally of said side walls operates said iirst toggle and the corresponding portion of said one wall transversely of fthe longitudinal median line of the nozzle without affecting said second toggle .and the `corresponding portion of said one wall and whereby tightening said fastening means and similarly moving said'rod operates both toggles and moves the corresponding portions of said one wall transversely of the longitudinal median line of the nozzle.

2. Means for adjusting .the width of an elongated nozzle having two sides, said means including elongated, flexible generally parallel side walls, one of said side walls constituting one of the sides of the nozzle,

a rod extending between said Walls,

a first toggle connected to said side Walls,

an elongated operating link connected to said toggle,

fastening means detachably securing said link to said rod near one end thereof, and

a second toggle connected to said side walls and secured to said rod near said one end of said orice whereby loosening said fastening means and moving said rod longitudinally of said walls operates said second toggle to move the corresponding portion of said one wall transversely of the longitudinal median line of the nozzle whereby tightening said -fastening means and similarly moving said rod operates both of said toggles to move the corresponding portion of said one side wall transversely of the longitudinal median line of the nozzle.

3. Means for adjusting the Width of an elongated nozzle having two sides, said means including elongated, flexible, generally parallel side walls, one of said side walls constituting a side of said nozzle,

a plurality of individually operable adjusting mechanisms disposed between and connected to longitudinally spaced portions of the juxtaposed faces of said walls.

at least .one of said mechanisms being inaccessible from one end of said nozzle structure,

actuating means also disposed between said Walls with one end thereof accessible at one end of said nozzle structure,

Iand means operatively connecting said actuating means Ato each of -said mechanisms for lselectively activating one or more of said adjusting mechanisms to move corresponding portion -or portions of said one side wall transversely of the longitudinal median line of the nozzle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,871 Parkes Sept. 27, 1960 2,639,162 Schon May 19, 1953 3,045.705 Hausammanu July 24, 1962 

1. MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE WIDTH OF SELECTED PORTIONS OF AN ELONGATED NOZZLE HAVING TWO, GENERALLY PARALLEL, SIDES, SAID MEANS INCLUDING ELONGATED, FLEXIBLE, GENERALLY PARALLEL SIDE WALLS, ONE OF SAID WALLS CONSTITUTING ONE OF THE SIDE WALLS, ONE OF AND ACTUATING ROD EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, A FIRST TOGGLE CONNECTED TO SAID SIDE WALL NEAR ONE END THEREOF AND SECURED TO THE ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID ROD, A SECOND TOGGLE SECURED TO SAID SIDE WALLS NEAR THE OTHER END THEREOF, AND FASTENING MEANS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID SECOND TOGGLE TO THE ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID ROD WHEREBY LOOSENING SAID FASTENING MEANS AND MOVING SAID ROD LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID SIDE SALLS OPERATED SAID FIRST 